Journal 9: Visualizing with Technologies

Chapter nine stresses the idea that technologies allow us to reason and represent ideas visually without really having to produce original illustrations – yet our technological skills let us use the tools of the program to invent something unique every time. An interesting area that the chapter discusses is the nuances and uses of digital cameras and mobile phones. Using such devices can really help get a multitude of ideas across to the audience. Moreover, digital cameras are now one the most used tools when it comes to storytelling, reporting and entertaining specific ideas. Thus, it will be important to be able to learn in the coming classes how exactly the editing functions of these programs work. It was a great start learning how to use all the devices of the power-point software, as this step was vital if we are to learn how to organize digital movies on the program. While I find power-point a very simple and user-friendly program I realize like any new software it will take some time before I am fluent with the fantasia and other video-making software. The most interesting aspect of us making digital movies with the power point software is how different this media movie will be from ones created using the program Scratch. I like the idea that you don’t necessarily have to have a digital camera in order to make a movie using the power-point software. Worst come to worst you could always manipulate scratch to get your home-made movie!

Answers to the questions

1) Engineers often use many different computer programs in order to help them see how they will be able to balance and build their new designs. Moreover, increasingly with the aid of visualization technologies animated writers and illustrators can manipulate many different characters, back rounds and settings from a mere computer program. Thus, this technology has really aided both engineers and animation artists in a large and integral way. Additionally, I find that children in middle school often have trouble visualizing tricky concepts whether it be in English or Mathematics. Evidently, programs that offer students the chance to visually learn might provide them with a greater array of knowledge.

2) Google Earth and programs like it – enable us to really grasp the meaning of our surroundings and learn even more about things we don’t encounter in our regular everyday lives. Google Earth has drastically changed the way we view the world and ourselves in it. With programs like Google Earth we are fast approaching the promulgation of what Marshal McLuhan termed ‘the Global Village, where literally no place is too far out of our reach. As programs like Google earth continue to manifest we will most likely continue to see an upward trend in urban development.

4) When students are thinking mathematically they are often trying to visualize how the numbers match up with the computations that they are making in their heads. As well, students using mathematical skill are almost always using the left cortex of the brain where the reasoning and logic skills are the strongest.